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Author
Topic: Kaletra and Truvada (Read 6429 times)

I was diagnosed in July 2007 My VL is 28000 and CD4 276, So I am now going to start these meds.Initially my doc prescribed Stocrin but after a resistance test we found out that it would be not good for me.

So I can take either the full 4 Kaletra pills doseage at once or 2 pills in the morning and 2 in the eve, My question is what would be better? I was thinking 8:am and 8pm.?

Also should I take Truvada in the eve or morning?

Now that I have to take meds this whole HIV thing has become so much more real. It was easier to chase it away before and not think about.

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"When people who are not ready jump in, things can go horribly wrong. For most of us, there is always time to take a deep breath, consider one's options and make a careful, sound decision based on clinical fact, not emotion."MtD

Best of luck Roie. I've just come off my first attempt at meds. I don't feel in a position to advise you, but I can definitely say I share your feelings about treatment making the situation more 'real'. Also I would generally say to space pills out as much as possible rather than taking them all at once would have to be easier on your body.

Kaletra, personally I would do 2 tabs am and 2 pm to start with, the chance of achieving an undetectable viral load is greater. You can consider moving to taking all the Kaletra in one go later (when your viral load is under 50 copies) if you like.

I'm on precisely those drugs and take them at 8 and 8 plus or minus an hour or two. My doc says they are pretty forgiving of schedule changes, especially Kaletra. As far as when to take the Truvada, I'd do it at the time when you are most likely to be able to be consistent each and every day. Me, I keep all my pills and vitamins in the sock drawer and take the morning dose with the vitamins and put the evening pills in the pocket of my pants so they will be there in case I work late or have a dinner meeting. Sometimes I remember to put them in a little plastic baggy, but loose in the pocket works too if you don't work in a water intensive place. But mainly its important to put your meds somewhere that you will remember them each day -- I always change my socks

Hoping you have an uneventful start to the meds.

Assurbanipal

P.S. If you travel on business I've learned to always have an extra days supply of the pills in my pocket for travel -- never get a question about it -- and when the last plane home gets cancelled there's no panic.

Thank you for your reply guys,Me too, I hoping for an uneventful start, I am quite anxious.

I also have my med weed for anxiety, depression, nausea and everything that the good weed does that makes me feel good.

i really do enjoy a good joint.

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"When people who are not ready jump in, things can go horribly wrong. For most of us, there is always time to take a deep breath, consider one's options and make a careful, sound decision based on clinical fact, not emotion."MtD

I have my pills now. Filled out the Kaletra prescription yesterday. My doc wants me to talk to him once I have them both so tomorrow I will and then start the treatment.

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"When people who are not ready jump in, things can go horribly wrong. For most of us, there is always time to take a deep breath, consider one's options and make a careful, sound decision based on clinical fact, not emotion."MtD

So I took my first dose last night.I am doing the 2 kaletra in the morning and 2 in the eve, plus 1 Truvada.Truvada is such a brilliant shade of blue. It looks toxic. Similar toxic colour like chemo.

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"When people who are not ready jump in, things can go horribly wrong. For most of us, there is always time to take a deep breath, consider one's options and make a careful, sound decision based on clinical fact, not emotion."MtD

Good luck with your meds. I'm on the same combo, just started them about 10 weeks ago. Doing pretty well. Very effective regimin. There are some sides (as I'm sure you know). Most have faded for me now, and my VL has been knocked down a huge amount.

I've been on Kaletra and Truvada for several years (Truvada used to be two other drugs which they combined into Truvada) and it's working very well. Only side effect is diahrrea, which is none too pleasant but that's something I can live with. I take two kaletra, truvada, a zoloft (anti-depressant) and acyclovir (it's for herpes, but I'm negative in that area...my doc, who has been at this for over 25 years says he doesn't know specifically why, but his patients do better with it...it's a pretty mild drug, as they go, so I just take it). Then I take another two kaletra at night. Used to have to take kaletra with food but the new concoction doesn't require it.

No worries, these are good drugs. When I started out, i was at 87K viral load, and 41 t-cell count. Today, I'm undetectable (by the ultra-sensitive test) and am around 500 t-cell count. Feel really good...no funny fat deposits or losses of weight. I have gained the 35 lbs I lost before diagnosis.

I will be ok. So far I feel slight nausea. But i feel ok.Thanks for your replies.

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"When people who are not ready jump in, things can go horribly wrong. For most of us, there is always time to take a deep breath, consider one's options and make a careful, sound decision based on clinical fact, not emotion."MtD

Hey there, I'm on the same meds, I stared them last September and was undetectable by December, the only real side affect I have is the diarrhea. When I fist started them I was feeling a bit sick to my stomach, but that disappeared in about 2 weeks. I take them all every day at 10 am and have found that to work very well for me. I have to agree that when you start to take them it feels very real and it has been 5 months since I have started and every day I take them it is a constant reminder of this virus that I must live with and it's very hard to do.

Hello, I have been on these both med's for over 3 years.I take 4 Kaletra & 1 truvada every morning at 8 am, and get it over with.I had similar #'s like in when I started, and within 4 months, I was undetectable , and to this day, I still am.Good Luck

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Diagnosed, Monday, 8/9/2004, 1ST year was ruff , now I am well adjusted .Current Med's ; Kaletra & TruvadaUndetecable,<48 , 531 tcells, 21%Keeping the faith, that they will get a cure in our lifetime.LIVE , LOVE , LAUGH

Thank you all for your reasurance.Well I been feeling ok. Actually I have noticed that my appetite has improved. I get this knot feeling in my stomach and head for the fridge. I think this is a good thing because I am underweight and this extra food is good for me. I dont think its muchie weed related as I only had 1 joint since i began my meds.

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"When people who are not ready jump in, things can go horribly wrong. For most of us, there is always time to take a deep breath, consider one's options and make a careful, sound decision based on clinical fact, not emotion."MtD

Kaletra tablets dosed once daily are no less safe and effective than dosing the drug twice daily, according to a poster presented to the Fifteenth Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infection in Boston.

In the study, treatment-naïve patients were randomised to receive Kaletra tablets once daily (in a dose of 800mg lopinavir/200mg ritonavir) or twice a day (each dose consisting of 400mg/100mg lopinavir/ritonavir) in combination with Truvada. After a year, equal number of patients in the two arms of the study had an undetectable viral load and increases in CD4 cell count were also comparable. Taking once daily Kaletra tablets did not increase the risk of side-effects, including diarrhoea, a side-effect that is particularly associated with the drug.

Plus the latest CROI study (abstract here) records side effect related discontinuations at 4.5% of once-daily people and 2.4% of twice-daily people.

Given that adherence tends to be very good in studies/the first months of treatment but often worsens over time, I would be interested to see how the study participants on 1 x day are doing in 2 years time.

1 week later.I can say that I have had an uneventful start. And I am thankful to say that for now I do not have/gotten dirrhea. So no real side effects although there are times when I get these "Hypo" attacks where I have to eat something immediately. I have this "knotty" nauseaous" feeling and head for the fridge or nearest place to buy something substantial to eat. My appetite has definitely improved and because I am thin to begin with this is not a bad thing. I do need to put on a few extra kilos.

My nurse gacve me a very cool pill box that has a "daily" 2 compartment plastic containers. for the week. SO I fill up each compartment with the required pills at the begining of the week, and I go according to whats in my pill box. THis way I dont forget or dont mix up what Ive taken.

Those reports are encouraging and mind relieving because its a good thing to know that its the same wheather I take kaletra in one shot per day or divide the dose up.

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"When people who are not ready jump in, things can go horribly wrong. For most of us, there is always time to take a deep breath, consider one's options and make a careful, sound decision based on clinical fact, not emotion."MtD

If you have not gotten any diarrhea after a week or two, looks like you are tolerating it very well and it will not be an issue. Most people are able to tolerate this combo quite well after the initial adjustment period.I'm in the once-daily (QD) group of that M05-730 study mentioned above.

I do get the Dreaded D™ maybe twice a week now at the most, never had any problem with nausea.My virologic and immunologic responses to this combo has been stellar: VL <50 since week 8 and latest lab shows CD4 up from baseline 178 to 979 (40%) after 75 weeks Cholesterol and triglycerides levels still pretty much within the norm ranges. Hope this combo works out well for u too.

Pill box highly recommended - nearly double-dosed a few times, not fun having to do a tedious pill count from the meds containers everytime I get sketchy.....me likey my pill box

I just got back from a consultation with my doctor and my Viral load is now UNDETECTABLE.CD4 is 306. (up from 276)Fantastic that within 1 month of taking these meds the VL is undetectable. They work so well?Doc was very pleased.

The only thing that he is concerned about is that i have high cholesterol. And we have to monitor that carefully.

I do not get any of the funny effects that I got in the begining and at times I even forget that I am on these medications. Of course I dont forget to take them I just dont feel any different.

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"When people who are not ready jump in, things can go horribly wrong. For most of us, there is always time to take a deep breath, consider one's options and make a careful, sound decision based on clinical fact, not emotion."MtD

Doc is most pleased with me. One small issue though, My cholestrol is still high. I been eating a bowl of oat porridge every day which is supposed to help with lowering cholestrol. Perhaps it has, but for now my no's have not changed.Doc suggested exercise and a visit to a dietican. Exercising is probably what I should be doing.

I still dont get any of the funny side effect feeling that I used to get when I started on the meds, and my extreme tiredness is far less. So overall I feel great. No diarrea thank God, (I am convinced that the Indian cinnamon that I take 4 x a day helps me there- see thread in the nutritional section if anyone wants to know more)

I am quite happy in taking my Kaletra twice a day and it does not bother me in the least to do so.

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"When people who are not ready jump in, things can go horribly wrong. For most of us, there is always time to take a deep breath, consider one's options and make a careful, sound decision based on clinical fact, not emotion."MtD

Just curious: why did your doc choose this combo for you as the first line treatment ?

Keep well !John

Nope, he first wanted to give me Sustiva (Stocrin) but I tested a resistance to it. I am pleased that what I am taking is working out. The cholestrol thing will also work out.

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Cruise on down the High Way

"When people who are not ready jump in, things can go horribly wrong. For most of us, there is always time to take a deep breath, consider one's options and make a careful, sound decision based on clinical fact, not emotion."MtD